Vacuum tube envelope with terminal locating means



March 15, 1966 R. M. NICHOLSON VACUUM TUBE ENVELOPE WITH TERMINALLOCATING- MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. June 22, 1962 INVENTOR EOBEET MMCbOLSOAfi 4 TTOIQNEYS March 15, 1966 R. M. NICHOLSON 3,240,979

VACUUM TUBE ENVELOPE WITH TERMINAL LOCATING MEANS Filed June 22, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 20552 7- M M01904 5 04 United States Patent Ofiice 3,240,979 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 3,240,979 VACUUM TUBE ENVELGPE WITHTERMINAL LOCATING MEANS Robert M. Nicholson, T onica, 11].; HenriettaNicholson, executrix of said Robert M. Nicholson, deceased Filed June22, 1962, Ser. No. 204,483 6 Claims. (CL 313-317) This invention relatesto vacuum tubes, and more particularly to an improved vacuum tubeenvelope construction especially adapted for the relatively small vacuumtubes commonly employed in television receivers, communicationreceivers, and other electronic equipment wherein the vacuum tubes andother components of the equipment are frequently confined in a verylimited space.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved vacuumtube envelope which is arranged to facilitate the removal or replacementof a vacuum tube from a socket located in a relatively crowded portionof the chassis of a television receiver, communication receiver, orsimilar electronic apparatus, the improved vacuum tube envelope beingprovided with means for easily grasping same and for properly orientingsame so that the prongs of the tube will properly engage in theprongreceiving apertures of the associated tube socket.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vacuum tubeenvelope construction which does not basically change the mode ofmanufacture thereof but which merely provides a handle element on thetop of the tube to facilitate the removal or replacement of the tubefrom a crowded portion of the chassis of a television receiver orsimilar electronic apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum tube of the miniature typeprovided with an improved envelope construction according to the presentinvention, shown arranged over a socket adapted to receive the prongs ofthe tube.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the vacuum tube illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a typical crowdedcommunication receiver chassis illustrating the manner in which a vacuumtube is surrounded by other components, ordinarily making it verydifficult to reach the tubes for removal thereof, and to replace thetube, the chassis portion being shown with a tube constructed accordingto the present invention which is provided with a grasping head on itstop portion and which carries an index marker on said head forfacilitating the proper orientation of the tube when it is beingreplaced in its socket.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of another form of improved vacuum tubeconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the vacuum tube of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the vacuum tube of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theline 99 of FIGURE 8.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 4, 11designates a typical vacuum tube constructed according to the presentinvention. The vacuum tube 11 comprises a main glass envelope 12containing the components of the tube, said components beingelectrically connected to depending prongs 13 adapted to be engaged inthe prong-receiving apertures 14 of a conventional tube socket 15mounted on a chassis 16. The chassis 16 may be part of a typicalcommunication receiver 17, illustrated in fragmentary form in FIGURE 4,wherein the tube socket is closely surrounded by various other receivercomponents, such as the upstanding cylindrical coil shields 18 shown inFIGURE 4. Other components, such as filter condensers, transformers, orthe like, are frequently placed so close to the tube sockets that, dueto the height of such components, it is relatively difiicult to reach atube in such a tube socket, and it is frequently impossible to replacesuch a tube without removing the chassis, since it is impossible toproperly orient the prongs of the tube in attempting to replace the tubein its socket.

In accordance with the present invention, the tube envelope 12 isintegrally formed at its top end with a horizontal head or knob 19 whichmay be of any suitable shape, for example which may be of circular shapeas shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 4. The head or knob 19 is oifset verticallya short distance above the main body of the envelope 12, being connectedto said main body by a reduced neck portion 20.

The prongs 13 in a typical conventional tube are arranged in a circularpattern concentrically with the tube, being evenly spaced except for thetwo end prongs which are separated by a spacing which is twice that ofthe spacing between the successive prongs in the circular series. Theend tube prong-receiving apertures 14 of the associated socket aresimilarly spaced, so that it is only possible to insert the tube in thesocket in its proper orientation. However, since the socket isfrequently impossible to see, it is difficult to properly orient anordinary tube so that the prongs 13 thereof will be received in thecorresponding socket apertures 14. In accordance with the presentinvention, the top knob 19 is inscribed with a radially directed indexpointer or triangular mark 21 which is located on a radial line midwaybetween the locations of the two end prongs of the circular series ofprongs 13, so that it serves as an indication of the location of thecenter of the space between said two end prongs. When the tube is to beremoved from the chassis 16, forming part of an apparatus such as thereceiver 17 shown in FIGURE 4, the direction of the index pointer 21 isfirst noted, and a suitable mark may be made on an adjacent portion ofthe chassis, to enable the index mark to be similarly oriented when thetube is to be replaced. The knob 19 serves as a convenient and readilyaccessible means of grasping the tube envelope, so that it may be easilylifted out of its socket, and similarly may be returned to its socket orreplaced by a new tube of the same construction.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 5 to9, the tube envelope is designated at 12', the tube being provided withthe depending prongs 13, as in the previously described form of theinvention. Integrally formed with the top of the envelope 12 is theupstanding vertical circular disc-shaped grasping handle 19 which isarranged in a vertical diametral plane which extends midway between theend prongs of the circular series of prongs 13, so that the circulargrasping handle 19' also serves as an orientation marker, accomplishinga result similar to that achieved by the index marker 21 employed in theform of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 to 4.

As shown in FIGURE 9, the upstanding grasping handle 19' is integrallyconnected to the top portion of the tube envelope 12' by a neck portion20, and the circular grasping handle 19' is formed with the outwardlyconcave side walls 22, 22 which substantially engage each otherinternally at their center portions, as shown in FIGURE 9. The provisionof the concave side walls 22, 22 on the grasping handle 19 provides afirmer grip on said grasping handle and provides better control of theangular orientation of the tube envelope when inserting the tube intoits socket.

Conventional vacuum tubes of the type employed in television receiverand similar electronic equipment, namely, of the type employingrelatively small tube envelopes are formed at their top ends withtapered tip portions. Said tapered tip portions in no way provide ameans for grasping the tubes for removing or replacing same, since saidtip portions are very small in size and relatively short, being thusdifficult to grasp. The present invention employs substantially the sameamount of material to form the integral grasping handles, as waspreviously employed to form the tapered top tips, but provides a greatlyimproved means for manipulating and orienting the tubes.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved vacuum tube envelopeconstruction have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it willbe understood that various modifications within the spirit of theinvention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it isintended that no limitations be placed on the invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum tube, a vertical glass envelope, a plurality of dependingcontact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongs being locatedon a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arranged in a circularseries with certain prongs spaced differently from other prongs,requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a head member substantially in the form of an uprightrelatively thin disc integrally formed on' the top of said envelope, andorientation guide means on said head member directed to correspond withthe location of said diiferently spaced prongs.

2. In a vacuum tube, an elongated glass envelope, a plurality ofdepending contact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongsbeing located on a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arrangedin a circular series with certain prongs spaced differently from otherprongs, requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a neck portion integrally formed on and rising fromthe top end of said envelope, an enlarged head member substantially inthe form of an upright relatively thin disc formed integrally with thetop of said neck portion, and orientation guide means on said headmember directed to correspond with the location of said differentlyspaced prongs.

3. In a vacuum tube, a vertical glass envelope, a plurality of dependingcontact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongs being locatedon a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arranged in a circularseries with certain prongs spaced differently from other prongs,requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a neck portion integrally formed on and rising fromthe top end of said envelope, a generally circular enlarged head memberformed integrally with and extending vertically upwardly from the top ofsaid neck portion, and orientation guide means on said head memberdirected to correspond with the location of said differently spacedprongs.

4. In a vacuum tube, an elongated vertical glass envelope, a pluralityof depending contact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongsbeing located on a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arrangedin a circular series with certain prongs spaced differently from otherprongs, requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a neck portion integrally formed on and rising fromthe top end of said envelope, a generally circular enlarged hollow headmember formed coaxially with and integrally with and extendingvertically upwardly from the top of said neck portion, and orientationguide means on said head member directed to correspond with the locationof said differently spaced prongs.

5. In a vacuum tube, a vertical elongated glass envelope, a plurality ofdepending Contact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongsbeing located on a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arrangedin a circular series with certain prongs spaced differently from otherprongs, requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a neck portion integrally formed on and rising fromthe top end of said envelope, and a generally circular enlarged headmember formed integrally with and extending vertically upwardly from thetop of said neck portion, the plane of said head member being directedto correspond with the location of said differently spaced prongs.

6. In a vacuum tube, a vertical elongated glass envelope, a plurality ofdepending contact prongs on the bottom of said envelope, said prongsbeing located on a circle coaxial with the envelope and being arrangedin a circular series with certain prongs spaced differently from otherprongs, requiring specific orientation when the tube is inserted in anassociated socket, a neck portion integrally formed on and rising fromthe top end of said envelope, and a generally circular enlarged hollowvertical head member formed coaxially with and integrally with the topof said neck portion, said head member being directed in a verticalplane corresponding with the location of said differently spaced prongsand having outwardly concave opposite faces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,807,427 5/1931Moblard 339l13 1,997,478 4/1935 White 3 l3-48 2,049,099 7/1936 Axelas313-48 2,406,422 8/ 1946 Wood 313298 2,594,069 4/1952 Poehlmann 339-1l32,641,726 6/1953 Cisne 313-317 3,020,450 2/1962 Shafer 339-1l3 I OHN W.HUCKERT, Primary Examiner.

I. D. KALLAM, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A VACUUM TUBE, A VERTICAL GLASS ENVELOPE, A PLURALITY OF DEPENDINGCONTACT PRONGS ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID ENVELOPE, SAID PRONGS BEING LOCATEDON A CIRCLE COAXIAL WITH THE ENVELOPE AND BEING ARRANGED IN A CIRCULARSERIES WITH CERTAIN PRONGS SPACED DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER PRONGS,REQUIRING SPECIFIC ORIENTATION WHEN THE TUBE IS INSERTED IN ANASSOCIATED SOCKET, A HEAD MEMBER SUBSTAN-